Trees are like people, sort of

 Something a little different for this post, which may take our minds off of the brutal wintry weather many of us are experiencing right now.

Regular readers will know that I am very fond of tallgrass prairie, but for even longer, I have been very interested in trees, and forests in particular. That’s not surprising given my long-term history with Rondeau Provincial Park, one of the most important and diverse forest/savanna/wetland/beach ecosystems in the province. Also I grew up on a farm not far from Rondeau, where trees and wildlife in general were valued. The family planted lots of trees over the years. And we spent a lot of time exploring Rondeau and other high quality natural areas on numerous trips.

I have been reading a book by a medical doctor, Dr. Matthew Sleeth, entitled Reforesting Faith, as recommended by a friend (thanks, Andrew!). I’ve read through it twice in recent weeks, and plan to do it again. It makes the connection that God loves trees, it was part of his original creation and trees or parts of them are referenced quite frequently throughout the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. While my reading through this book is not quite the same focus as the author’s, it is quite intriguing and got me thinking of the following.

Trees are a lot like people. Each one is different, even within the same species. Some thrive in large groups of the same kind.

Some thrive in large groups of different kinds.

Some are loners.

Some are bent, even broken due to the strains of life, but may recover and sprout a new chapter.

Some may have multiple personalities.

Some may have so many things going on, pulling in several directions....

...that their stability may be undercut, with the possibility of an uncertain future.

Some are thin-skinned.

Some are tough, and thicker skinned.

Some may have a checkered past.

Some are quite a-peeling :-)

Some have had various wounds to deal with that result in other things taking advantage of the scar.

Some are quite colourful, at least for a season.

Sometimes life gets a bit foggy, with the way forward not all that clear.

The wear and tear of life catches up with you in advanced years, and the newer generations take over.

 All of us are part of a community of various descriptions, and all have a part to play and a gift to contribute to the community we occur in. 

God has created us all as individuals, with our own special gifts. What is your gift to the community you are a part of?

May you all enjoy the Christmas season and remember that the birth of Jesus is the reason for it! Here is one of my favourite Christmas songs, written and sung here by comedian/song writer Mark Lowry, who has been a long-standing member of the Bill Gaither group. I had thought about linking it to Pentatonix, who have made a very entertaining production of this song, but I thought that the spirit of the original writer singing it would be more appropriate.

 

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